My name is Michael
Risner and I am the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Tornado Marching
Band Boosters here in Glendale.
This is an exciting
time for Hoover Tornado Marching Band and I want to share the excitement with
you.
A little
background, if I may.
As you know, our
school was named after President Herbert Hoover. We are one of only four high schools in the
nation to be named after him. Our school
has a couple of distinctions that set us apart from the other three. We were the
first school to be named for the president and the ONLY school in the nation to
be named for a sitting president. Ever.
President Hoover was aware of our school and the dedication of it in his
name.
We think that makes
us pretty special. And, we are not alone
in that regard.
In West Branch,
Iowa, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library thinks we are pretty special
too. They have reached out to us in
this, their 50th anniversary year.
The library has invited us to participate in the festivities for the
anniversary which will take place in August of this year.
They have invited
the Hoover Tornado Marching Band to participate in the parade and concerts that
will take place on August 4, 2012.
They have sweetened
the offer by providing for our transportation from Chicago O’Hare to West Branch
as well as our food and lodging once we are there.
Our responsibility
will be getting us there. And, that is
no small task when we are considering moving approximately 60 people and all our
instruments halfway across the country.
We will be asking
the students that want to go, to commit to paying a share of their airfare, in
the neighborhood of $350.
That will still
leave us with a deficit of $10,000 to $15,000 depending on what kind of deal we
can get for airfare.
This is an exciting
opportunity for our students to experience a piece of history. For them to
participate in a trip like this will be an incredible experience. Indeed, one
that will be a life-long memory.
The Glendale
Unified School District is behind this effort 100%. Our administrators at the school are behind
us 100%. Our students are committed
100%. But we need the help of the community and leaders like you.
Personally, I can
think of no better way to enhance our community that enriching the lives of our
young people. I am committed to helping them in any way I can.
I very much want to
have a photograph of our band in front of the Presidential Library.
We will also be
transporting our instruments and equipment in the band’s equipment truck the
1800 miles from here to the Library.
The truck, by the
way, is a great example of how great our community is and what it can do for our
school and our band.
Even though I
acquired the retired U-Haul truck for the band to use, it was through great
community partners like Johnny Harrison at Lexus of Glendale and the fine folks
at WrapADs that our truck sports a distinctive and instantly recognizable logo
on the sides.
We proudly wear
GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA in foot-high PURPLE letters on our truck so that everywhere
we go, people know the great city we are from.
We would love to
carry your support with us to Iowa this summer. If there is any assistance you can provide, we would gladlyaccept it!
You can donate in two direct ways. Via US Mail send checks made payable to HOOVER GROOVE to:
Hoover High School
651 Glenwood Road
Glendale, CA 91202
ATTN: Martin Rhees
Or you can donate via Purple Circle's online donation page set up for us. Here is the link to that:
I hope this note
finds all of our supporters well and I look forward to talking more with you soon!
On
Tornados!
